Reflecting.....

Over the Christmas period I have taken a bashing, mentally not physically, the cyber bullies have been out in force. I find it harder to deal with at this time of year due to tiredness, the cold, and basically feeling worn down. However, I won't let retards like this one woman get to me, as I know I do a fantastic job, and she does well..... fuck all.

So, I have found the way for me to get through idiots like her, is to reflect.... reflect on how many dogs we have rehomed his year, reflect on what an amazing team I have, what fantastic supporters I have, and how much more we will achieve in 2018. As I browse over photos, it makes me realize how important we are too so many lives, and how we do make a huge difference.

Dogs like .... Destiny .... who looks stunning now,
and is happily living in France....

Lorenzo... who amazes me every day with how incredible he looks....

So many dogs who we have rehabilitated, and given the chance to be loved by the amazing people that adopt from us. So, days like today, when I have found myself thinking why do I bother..... well these dogs and many more like them are why I bother....  

Apollo

Apollo is one of our forgotten dogs...... he has been with us over two years in fact 752 days in total, and what is sadder Apollo was found as an 8 week old pup. As I drove home one day I saw a pup wandering along the road, dehydrated, and lost.

So, I scooped him up popped him in my car, and that is where Apollo's journey begun. I never thought for one moment that he would still be with us two long years later. Yes he is a Bardino, and yes he is big, but come on guys NO ONE has ever asked about him.

Apollo is so gentle, and funny, and is great with all the other dogs, he has seen so many come and go that he has to be good with dogs really. How sad though that he has never been in a home, or had cuddles on sofa's or been for long walks.

There has to be someone out there for Apollo....... come on people lets get Apollo a home! 

Too Much Wine!

I am convinced that yesterday everyone was on the booze and that they had to much, as I had a day of haters, and people attacking me on my page. I had everything from how crap I was, too 1 star fake reviews from people. Ironically the 1 star reviews are from a wannabe rescuer that I have five of her dogs here waiting to leave.

A few weeks ago we had a falling out, and rather than growing up, moving on, she decided to post crap all over the internet about me. She has lied, and made herself look really stupid, however, yesterday she stooped to a new level of stupid. She created fake profiles all in the same surname and gave my page 1 star reviews.... They look so genuine, people will of course be fooled into believing them.

I never understand peoples needs to rush onto the internet, and rant, and moan about people and their charities. If you have a real grievance then sort it out, rating a charity a 1 star because you are an idiot, is childish, and pathetic. I also got moaned at yesterday for the not answering people quick enough rant.

I understand that many people do not know me personally, however, if they follow the page they will see what we do. They will see that many people support us, and do know me, therefore, understand that it is just ME. I have a team both here and in the UK, however, the majority of EVERYTHING is dealt with by me. So, when I take more than five minutes to answer someone, it is usually due to the fact that I am busy.

At the moment it is one continuous blur of exhaustion, this time of year is draining, too many animals, not enough funds, and a wait for the next transport to kick in. Also, I move slower in the cold, and yes it is cold, and I'm getting old! So, come on people give me a break..... wait for the answers you need as they will come, haters please fuck off back under the rock you came from, and Patrica, grow a set of balls, and deal with the fact you screwed up.  

Just Another Day......

Anyone with animals will know the feeling that the 25th AKA Christmas Day, is just another day. It might not be so bad with one or two animals, but with the quantity we have here, there is no relaxing, and unwinding. Whilst everyone is up early, in their PJ's unwrapping, we are feeding, and cleaning, just like every other day.

There are no lay ins with animals, no early morning cuddles on the sofa, or mid morning strolls, it is the same routine 365 days of the year. Animals do not care that on this day we have been programmed to sit, eat too much, and fall asleep. All we can ask for is that there are no major disasters, and that for a proportion of the day we can sit and relax.

In fact we had our Christmas yesterday, so, all the presents unwrapped, HUGE dinner eaten, and family time spent together. We have celebrated Christmas on the 24th for many years due to work commitments, I think we just insist on being different.

So, today will be spent catching up on paperwork, and flicking through the endless photos of roast dinners and bad jumpers that people post on FB...... Hope everyone has an amazing day, gets everything they wanted, and spend time with the ones they love. FELIZ NAVIDAD <3

Ignorance is Bliss!

I am sure there are signs along my road that state stupid people please come and visit, as I do seem to attract them. I ponder if it is just animal subjects that they are incredibly stupid about or all matters in life. I have no tolerance for stupid people, in fact I have very little tolerance for people, so combine the two and well it is a recipe for disaster.

Someone came to see me the other day, she brought dog food... thank you... then she said "wow you have a lot of animals, real animals" I replied with "Errr yeah, plastic ones are so last season"  People are often drawn tot he ducks, and it is where people tend to wander, well either there, or towards magic, like a moth to a very vicious flame.

The conversation then went down hill very quickly....

"wow you have ducks"
"yep loads"
"are they going to have babies"
"ducklings... probably"
"wow isnt that duck huge"
"yes, we thought she was female, but she is male, however, she is still called jessica, due to everyone knowing her/he as that"
"maybe she is pregnant, that is why she is so huge"
"errr yeah but she is a he, so not happening, and ducks lay eggs"
" yes, I know but they have to have babies, to lay eggs"

Why, does the basic knowledge of animal reproduction always come into every conversation, and how do people not know the basics. It actually scares me to think there is a whole generation of people that have no idea what has babes, and what hatches!

At this point, I was pushing her out of the gates, and wanted stupid world to end, so with a smile, I said "yes, she is pregnant, she is expecting 25 babies that is why she is so big, we are hoping for an easy water birth in the pond" I promptly kicked the gates shut, and walked off muttering, thank the lord, my children are intelligent.

Mia....

I love Mia, I think she is sweet, and friendly, and playful and loving, but every time I look at her she makes me sad. Why? because she has been here so long, she arrived the same day as Eddie, so in June 2016....

Mia has never had anyone ask about her, I know she is brown, and medium size, but she isn't ugly, trust me we have had uglier dogs. So, why o why is Mia still with us?

Mia has watched over 500 dogs come and go, all off to their new homes, all warm and cosy in their beds, loved by their families.

Mia just sits and waits, patiently, she knows the routines, she knows the cages, she is happy, but that doesn't make it right. Mia needs a home to call her own.

I hope that someone will see Mia, and see how sweet she is, and offers her a place, there must be someone out there for Mia!

Timing

Well finally the day came, the day we had all been waiting for, the day that we had delayed, and asked to be done in between transports, and vets and pounds, and life. Finally, fatty popped and we have a baby. The timing was perfect, as there was nothing big booked in, and we praise the lord he was not a Christmas baby.

Anyone that knows us, knows how hectic we are, everything has to be done on time, on a certain day, with planning, and this included the birth. So many times fatty was told " oh just wait until after this day" or " don't you dare go into labour on transport days" in fact we were running out of "good" days to have a birth!

Like clockwork though he started to make an appearance on a day when it suited everyone, and right up until he made an appearance we were sorting dog issues, and in fact straight after fatty was on the phone trying to sort another problem. The staff thought we were insane, as does everyone but this is our life, and we think it is the norm.

So, whilst sitting in materno today, we were working out vets visits, and discussing, how to fit cages, and car seat in my car. What we do is unique, and this baby has to fit in with what we do, our life goes on. We thank him for the perfect timing though....

Why Dog Breeding is a Problem!

Breeding dogs is 100% un necessary, and I wish more people would see the damage breeding is doing. Over 80% of people own a pet in the world, yet there are millions of dogs in shelters, and pounds needing homes. Only a small fraction are adopted, because people still feel they need to buy from a breeder.

These days you can find any breed of dog at a pound, both pure breed expensive dogs rub shoulders with the mix breeds. Yes people continue to pay stupid money for a dog from a breeder, because they feel this is the right way to get the "best" dog. Sadly though what they end up with is a dog with many health issues, and cause more dogs to end up in the pounds,

Breeders are running a business plain and simple, even the most reputable of breeders are doing it for the money. You may kid yourself that you are getting a puppy that has been raised in a home environment, when the reality is usually far worse. I was asked to help at the pound the other day where a breeder had surrendered eight Chihuahua's, all breeding dogs.

These dogs are feral, they had never left the small dark room used for breeding, they had never been touched, or seen people. They are terrified of everything, and everyone.

We agreed to take four of them, even getting them from a cage to the car was a fight. Thankfully small dogs, small teeth, but they meant it.

This is the side of breeding that people close their eyes too. This is why breeding needs to stop, as millions of dogs are destroyed every year due to lack of space.

No matter how you look at it breeding is a problem, producing more puppies that outweigh the demand will mean many will die. There is no justification for breeding, and sadly the for terrified dogs that I have at the moment are evidence of why it is so wrong. Lets hope they adapt, turn the corner, and can be rehomed.

Christmas Puppies- A BIG NO

I never rehome puppies from the beginning of December to the middle of January, as I do not want to get tangled up in the idiots wanting Christmas pups. It still amazes me that people are stupid enough to want a dog as a gift. We receive calls on Christmas Eve every year, asking if we have any puppies, you can imagine our answer.

Every year a huge proportion of these "gifts" get returned, or dumped around march when they have grown, are no longer cute and fluffy, and the recipient has moved on. The list of reasons for the pups being dumped in the pound is beyond stupid, and every year when I think I have read/heard it all, another one pops up. These are some of the most stupid, but trust me there are many more!

• I’m a vegetarian but he always wanted to eat meat

• She was too friendly and wanted to greet every dog and human we met on a walk

• He was panting too much

• He didn’t like it when we played dress up

• She sleeps in her own bed all night – I thought she would want to sleep in my bed

• I won a free holiday and I couldn’t take my dogs with me

• Now he has lost weight he is too energetic

• She grew bigger than we thought she would

• He is always staring at me – even when I am eating

• He didn’t match the soft furnishings.


‘A dog is for life, not just for Christmas’

Eddie and Mia

Eddie and Mia came to us on the same day, back in June 2016...... meaning they has been with us 540 days. They are poundies 116 and 117 meaning that they has watched over 500 dogs come into the kennels, and be rehomed before them....

Eddie is a small fox terrier mix, just he can be a twat but cant all dogs, but deep down he is just a loving dog that is bored of the kennels.

Mia is a medium sized mix dog, nothing special, nothing bad, again bored of the kennels.

Both of these dogs, wake up in a cage, and go to sleep in a cage, they have bedding, cuddles, and food, but they need more.

Surely there is someone out there for them?

You Never Know What Is Inside!

When you offer to take animals, they rarely come with history, or in fact any information, they are thrust into my car, and the previous owner or police run away fast, before I can change my mind. This means that we never know what may be lurking inside, and we only realize when it is often too late. When we offered to to take the goats there was no mention of anymore, so when Mrs Goat begun to get fatter, we presumed it was just food.

However, she got fatter, and fatter, oh and fatter, until one day I realized that there was more than food going on. We had one very pregnant goat, oh yippee more mouths to feed. Not knowing when the deed happened, meant we had no idea when she was due. 

So we waited, and waited, and waited, until one morning she did not come in from outside. I found her in the chicken pen in labor, surrounded by chickens for assistance. They would not be my choice of birthing partner, but each to their own. I decided to move her out of the chicken pen then left her too it, this was obviously not her first birthing experience.

 30 minutes later we had two more mouths to feed, and one very proud goat. Now I have to admit that baby goats are rather cute, however, we didn't need anymore! I might start asking people if their animals are going to give birth once they have handed them over, so we can be prepared.

Do Not Dismiss Them

Alongside the oldies that are up for adoption, there are several dogs that are special and unique, these dogs need homes that understand their issues, and quirks. Some have deformed legs, others have one eye, or one ear, or in Nemo's case, he is blind, with added water on the brain. Now being a Chihuahua, he got a lot of attention, until people saw that he was special.

When his photo first went on the page, my inbox lit up, I had so many messages stating they loved him, wanted him, were the perfect home for him.  Sadly this changed when I wrote about Nemo's medical issues, and the fact he was blind.

Now I get some people want more information, and to go away and research what is exactly needed. However, all the people that were sooooooo in love with him, ran for the hills. One woman in fact messaged to ask if I meant "completely" blind, and when she was told yes, stated "I don't do disabled"

This really gets to me, as Nemo' doesn't consider himself to be disabled, Nemo is funny, and responsive, and loving. He needs a home that doesn't care that he cannot see the awful world we live in, in fact he is actually very lucky, not to have to see that every day. Yes Nemo may need extra care, but the blindness is not an issue.

To dismiss a dog that you were so in love with due to this is wrong, and the basic fact is you were so in love with  the breed, not the photo, or the dog. All you wanted was a Chihuahua, and if this is the case, then please feel free to keep walking, as I want a home for Nemo that will love him for being him.

Rise and Shine!

I have always been an early riser, so the fact that I am usually awake around 6am is no surprise, it means I can have an hours peace, and reflect on the day ahead. This time of year it is harder to rise and shine, due to the cold, darkness, and pure exhaustion. The tip of my nose tells me to stay in bed as it is rather nippy most mornings, however, I drag my arse to the kitchen.

There are very few times when my house, and life is peaceful, which is why I enjoy the hour in the morning. It is quite sad that the only time I can find "me" time is in the cold and dark, but hey I'm grateful for anything. At this time of year I can feel my exhaustion levels rising, and my love for rescue diminishing.

As I sip the dark, warm morning coffee I ponder about my life, and think how did I end up here. Rescue has totally absorbed my life, and there are times when I want a simple, clean, normal life, like other people have.

Recharging my batteries is essential, however, at this time of year it is impossible. Too many dogs, not enough daylight, too much to do every day, and certainly no time for me.

This will pass as it always does, and for now I will enjoy my hour of peace, before an animal realizes that I am awake, and the phone jumps to life. Lets see what today will bring, and pray it is easy enough to handle.

Cherry Picking

I got in to a debate this week about cherry picking dogs, which I do not do, yet there was some people stating that ALL rescues do. Do they really? and I am the only one that doesn't? She claimed that I also select "easy" dogs to rehome. This actually had me laughing, as I cannot remember the last time i had a queue of people wanting one eyed, old, deaf, big black dogs. 

I understand why some rescues do cherry pick dogs, but it doesn't make it the right way to rescue, of course the cute, fluffy, younger, attractive dogs have homes waiting, but what about all the others? This is where people like me come in, I take basically whats left, and am I successful at rehoming them... yes.... do hey take longer to rehome, usually, but I think this is far more rewarding. 

Anyone can rehome an attractive dog, and if you have cherry picked, then most likely you have  a home lined up. Of course this still means that a dog has been saved, and that it is now happy and loved (hopefully) However, please don't tar us all with the same brush, some of us actually put in some effort, time and money into rescue. 

Don't get me wrong there are dogs that I have saved that I have thought WTF, and that have cost me a fortune, however, they deserve to be saved too, why leave them behind. So, for the woman that accused me of cherry picking, please look at my page, and take a moment to think about your statement. 

French Bulldog Frenzy

I know I have blogged about French Bulldogs before, but I do not get it, sorry guys, but why do they cause such a frenzy. The speed people comment on the photos of new ones amazes me, and they do it without any information regarding the dog. I picked up a new FBD yesterday posted it on the page, and one photo. No information, no details, yet by the time I had driven home, there had been 32 comments, and 17 messages.

Now I get people like the breed, well actually I don't get why as they sound like pigs, and a huge proportion of them are arseholes. However, each to their own, yet why such a frenzy to get your hands on one. I get so many stupid posts, and messages that I do wonder the type of people that want these dogs.

I got so many " I will take this dog" comments yesterday that in the end I ignored everyone, who applies for ANY dog with the line "I will take this dog" With no information, age, sex, behavior, are they that popular that people simply don't care as long as they have a FBD. I think the craziness that surrounds this breed will always go over my head.

So, for now I will ignore all the idiots, filter all the possibilities, and spend the day replying with " he is not up for adoption yet, but when he is all of the information will be on his album"

Don't Dismiss the Oldies!

Oldies are great, and they deserve a chance like any other dog, you would be surprised that many dogs come into the category of senior, after only 7 years. Pounds and rescues are full of senior dogs, all needing a home, all waiting patiently. Now I understand why some people are cautious about adopting an oldie, but please consider one, and do not dismiss a dog simply due to its age.

Seth is an old Cocker that we have at the moment, he was dropped off by his loving owners to the pound, Seth is 10 and a typical demanding, loving Cocker. I had many messages about Seth, and lots of interest until people discovered he was 10.

Some people were honest and came out and said, I don't want an old dog, others made pathetic excuses. Either way I don't understand, sorry, you fell in love with Seth, does it matter about his age.

I understand that they may die sooner, lets not pretend otherwise, however, could you not offer him a great place for his last few years?

An older dog gives you a fully trained, experienced, loyal companion. Yet Seth has been dismissed over and over due to his age, I find this so sad. So whilst the people start searching for a younger dog, he sits in a cold kennel, waiting for someone to appreciate him for who he is. Age is purely a number, he has no medical issues, can hear, see, and walk which for me is a miracle. Yet no one wants Seth..... How sad.

Wrong Reasons To Adopt

Many people want to adopt a rescue dog, which is great, however, when you are doing it for the wrong reasons, then it can end in disaster. I receive so many messages that start with " I have fallen in love with ....... I just know they are perfect for us"  How, how do you know that from a photo, and a short description.

You have to consider so many things when searching for the right dog, and appreciate that many rescue dogs come with issues. It is a bit like looking for a used car, and choosing the one that has been in an accident, yep you can repair it, but it can be expensive, and will always have issues. You need to think clearly, and choose a dog not because you feel sorry for it, or because you can fix it.



The key reasons why it can go wrong are:

Optimism- Many people only want to see the good points, they gloss over the bad, even when it is written for them in black and white. They see the poor little dog, behind bars, with a sad story that needs a home. You need to see past the story, and look at every fact, and if that dog is not for you, there is bound to be another.

Lack of Knowledge- We work with dogs day in day out, I can see a warning sign, or trigger way before other people. I also know how long problems can take to sort out both medically, and mentally. Again many people think they can morph into the best dog trainer overnight, because they have watched 10 minutes of Ceaser Milan. There is no shame in admitting that you know nothing, this helps us to place the right dog in your home.

Desire to Rescue- Many people have a "need" to rescue, they feel like it is the latest trend, and they have to be part of it, not actually thinking this is a long commitment. Often the dog and its needs are forgotten, as the selfies, and the long slushy posts take over. Come on people go find another trend, as adopting is clearly not for you.

So, please if you come across my page, and want to adopt great, but do it for the right reasons, and make sure you fully understand where the dogs came from, and what they will need in the future.

Is ONE Euro Really That Hard?

Every month on the first of the month, I do a euro appeal, it is where I beg the 5500 followers we have to give me a euro/pound. Sadly, only a small proportion of those 5500 people even bother, which poses the question, why are you following my page?

Now that may make me sound harsh, and bitter, but it is true, if you took the time to click like, and follow what we do, it surely must mean that you like or support what we do. Therefore, surely one pound/euro a month is not to much to ask. Such a small amount, would make so much difference to us.

Now I know not to take it to personally, as I am not the only charity begging every month, and one woman and her charity that I follow has over one million followers, and she has the same struggle. So, I would like to know is it because people don't want to help? think others will, so why bother? don't have 1 euro? think the animals aren't worth it? If this is the case then why follow the page?

Too many questions this morning, as I sit drinking coffee, wondering where today will take me, how I am going to pay the vet this month, and where the next lot of food will come from. if by any chance I have guilted you into paying 1 euro please, pop over to FB grab the payment details and pop a pound in the account...... it really does make a difference to us!

One Brave Vet and a Bottle of Sedative

Horses need their teeth checked, and often floated, and all our horses have their teeth routinely checked by the vet. This is something that takes time, effort, and in magics case sedative. My vet is excellent, he is not afraid of any of the horses, however, he is also not stupid. Magic loves his teeth, and he loves showing everyone that comes to the property the damage he can inflict with them.

So, first things first, you have to get close enough to Magic to actually inject him with the sedative. Thankfully magic loves food, therefore, he can be distracted easily, and voile, one horse injected with enough to bring down an elephant, but my animals can never just do anything easily.

Magic decides, he wants to fight the sedative, and wobbles, and lunges, but thankfully we are faster.
Head gear on, and the vet can begin, although Magic is very sleepy, we both know that at any moment he can react, head butt us and seek revenge.

Even sedated, the vet is far braver than me, as I would not stick my hands in Magic's mouth. Thankfully his teeth did not need rasping, and we could wake the nutter up. As he came round, he did have a look of death that he would seek revenge on us both at any given time in the future. 

 

Arguing With Idiots!

I have had days and days of idiots, they are everywhere, they are on my page, in my inbox, and even sending me voice notes. Come on people give it a rest you are exhausting, all I want to do is rescue, not get into a huge drama. Some of these people are relentless, they go on and on and on, and no matter how many times, I say please go away they keep on.

Sadly a few of them are supposed to be in the rescue world, but I want to know where the hell they get the time, to sit type and argue. I hardly get time to remember to change my clothes, or brush my hair. They start from early hours, right through to late night, repeating the same things over and over, even when you tell them you DO NOT CARE, they still continue.

I actually said "ok, have a nice day" to one, and she then posted a screenshot calling me a liar! Am I in a different universe to these people, are they seeing something different. Im at the pound, and they message, I'm in the car and they message, I'm at the vet with sick dogs and bloody hell they message. Come on people give it a bloody rest.

They scream, name and shame all day long, post evidence, tell us your side, and again I repeat, not my monkey not my drama, and they continue. So now for my own inner peace, I am ignoring, it is easier than answering, easier than caring. Simply arguing with idiots is just not worth it.....

What Would You Do To Save Them?

Rescue is tough, and every day I have to make hard decisions, ones that I know will make a difference to an animals life. Yesterday I had to make the decision to remove one of the cats ears, don't worry I have not lost the plot entirely, she has cancer.

White cats are prone to cancer here, and I knew that one day it would get her, and over the weekend, I could see that she was ill. Her ears were being eaten away by this horrible disease, and she had a growth on her face.

I took her to the vet, and he confirmed the worst, my beautiful Tazzy had cancer, and I had to make the decision whether to let her go, or give her some more time. I choose to take her ears, and not her life.

Although I knew this was the right decision, and it has bought her some time, I feel so bad for her. She was always be beautiful to us, but there is something creepy about a cat with no ears!

So for the time being she has another chance, and we hope the cancer doesn't get too aggressive. Why is life so shit, and why do I have to make tough decisions, I would much rather play in a fort, coloring with crayons!

People Used to Bring Me Flowers

Once upon a time, in a land far far away people used to bring me flowers, or a nice chilled bottle of wine, these days they bring me animals, and bags of food scraps. Now I know this sounds incredibly strange to normal people, in fact to me it is slightly odd, however, it has become the norm. Now before anyone calls social services, and declares I am feeding my kids scraps, they are for the chickens.

As a family we don't actually produce that much food wastage, my family loves food, and they will fight for the last remaining piece of food on a plate. Therefore, these food bags are welcome, and can be found hung on our gates, or thrust in my hand in public places. No matter where we go, people hand me bags of bread, and other smelly offerings.

Many of my animals were starved, or were in fact being fed the most awful diet before coming here, therefore, they can sniff out scraps. If anything gets thrown to the chickens, Magic is there expecting his piece too. Sadly he was fed bread, and sugar cane for many years, so he loves both, and will still fight you for a piece of mouldy bread.

So, if you see me in the street and fancy helping out by giving me a bag of scraps, you could also tie a bottle of wine to it, just to make my day!

Do Some Research!

The internet has given us the ability to connect with people all over the world, this can be a good thing, it cam also be disastrous. The dog posts are shared, and shared again, which is great, it means that more people are likely to see them, and potentially adopt.

Now maybe it is just me, but if a post pops up on my FB wall, and I am interested I read it in full, see where the person who wrote it is from, and gather all of the information. I know that I am not in the majority for doing this, as so many people comment on a post they have seen shared, with stupid questions.

So, they see a dog that has come from Pet Pals GC..... do they go on the page look around, see what we do, read the about section..... nope, they write... " where are you" now I am so tempted to write.... "sat on my sofa... you?" Another stupid question I get asked over and over.... "how old is the dog" Well if you read the first line it states name, sex and age in CAPITAL letters.

When did we become so lazy that we cannot be bothered to look around a page, to read what the charity does, these people are supposedly wanting to adopt a dog, you would think they would want some more information about the charity. The thing is I consider my page to be easy to navigate, yet still I have people asking me stupid questions.

A woman the other day told me I was hostile, as I did not write a full blown essay regarding her stupid question, and she backed it up with the usual... I will delete you then.... OK, keep walking, and close the door on your way out. If you cannot spend a small amount of time looking at what we do and why, then you don't deserve to adopt one of my dogs.

What Every Girl Wants!

I hate shopping, I hate everything about it from the people to the queues, I am one of those shoppers that get in ad get out. I know what I want, I don't stop, I don't browse I grab, pay and run.... well walk fast back to my car. My days of buying nice clothes and shoes has long gone, and these days I can be found in the feedstore gazing at feeders, and buckets.

A few weeks ago I spotted something I really wanted, I knew I had to have it, and even did the pouty lip to hubby. However, there was no spare cash left after feed and essentials, therefore, I had to walk away and leave it behind. I put the shiny item to the back of my mind, and dreamed of the day I could buy it, and bring it home.

What was this amazing item you may ask, well it was a new wheelbarrow,

now to many this may seem sad, however, I REALLY needed a new one, and this was the best wheelbarrow ever. Something so simple was so far out of my grasp, but I saved my pennies, and like a child saving for the sweet shop, eventually I had enough. With great anticipation, and excitement I went back for the wheelbarrow.

You had to be there to fully understand the excitement, and the joy I have from having this wheelbarrow on the property. Sadly though hubby and stretch (my son) want to use my new wheelbarrow for mucky jobs, and moving dirt *shudder* so they not understand they may get her dirty! Yes its a her.... and she doesnt want to get dirty, or damaged, or broken.

I allowed hubby to use her the other day, with rules, and under supervision, she came back unharmed, so it was a success. It may happen again soon, if I feel she can be out of my sight, and without supervision, but as all mum's will know this takes time. For now, she is happy in the barn, being used for non dirty jobs, where I can admire her, and think of a suitable name.

Calendars!

It is that time of year, the time when I rush around to produce a calendar that so many people state they want, and will buy, and then they end up costing me a fortune, and gathering dust. Why do I do it to myself every year, year year I say no more, and every year we have them printed!

Calendars are the most expensive thing we produce, and we have to sell a huge amount, and sadly every year we sell a small proportion. We have to print 500 this is non negotiable, therefore, we have to sell loads. Now maybe it is just me, but if I followed a page, adopted, a dog, and claim to support a charity, I would buy one.

This year the calendars include a selection of the dogs that have been adopted over the years, the print quality is good, but still only a small amount get sold. It is beyond frustrating as to why more don't get sold. As you can tell I am in a moany mood...... so to lift my mood buy a calendar, and remind me why I print them!

Are You Up For Fostering?

Fostering can be very rewarding, however, it can also be stressful, daunting, and upsetting, so how do you know if you are cut out for fostering? There are several key things that you need to consider before you agree to foster, or it could turn out badly for both you and the dog. You will also have the wrath of me, which is an even worse fate!

1. What happens if I want to keep the foster? 

I'm not going to lie, most of my foster mums have been foster failures, they have kept at least one of the dogs, and in some cases, multiple dogs. I have no issue with you adopting, however, you need to think if you actually do want to adopt, or simply cannot say goodbye.

You have to think about how satisfying it will be to help a dog get into the best possible home, and that if you adopt, you may not be able to help anymore. You will feel the panic, as you walk away, and you will think shit have I done the right thing. However, these feelings pass as you prepare to help the next dog.

2. Dealing with poop, chewing, howling, and bad behavior

The first few days can be a nightmare, and you will think WTF have I got myself into, as the dog you are fostering may be going through a roller coaster of emotions. Trust me these will pass, and you are there to teach them right from wrong. You are helping them to go through the next stage of their journey.

3.  Foster withdrawal- Keep in touch 

We encourage you to keep in touch, to remain connected to your foster dogs for as long as you want. This could be as simple as messaging the new home, or even offering to dog sit if they go away. I want you to feel part of what we do, to be involved, and follow the dogs progress, it is worth it. Receiving messages and photos, will remind you why you do this.

4. Saying Goodbye

Dogs aren't stupid, they know when we are upset or anxious, this is why you need t make the transition from you to their home  a happy, and stress free experience. Even if you cry all the way home in the car, don't show those emotions around the foster dog. As you walk away the dog will be confused, as they have been through a huge amount, in such a short space of time. You will be amazed though how they adapt, and will soon fall in love with their new owners.

5. Learning to be supportive 

For the first few weeks you are likely to be messaged constantly, and you need to be supportive, and positive. You will know the dog, and have to help the new home to get over the initial problems that there are likely to be, Many new homes panic, and you must be there for them, we offer RBU, therefore, you must back up your decision.

I always think that foster mums are a different breed, they are unique, and in my team you have to be even more unique! Fostering isn't for everyone, however, if you start fostering you will soon discover that like a packet of crisps, you can never have just one!

Losing Fosters

This week has been hard as I have lost two of my foster mums from the UK team, and no I didn't kill them or scare them away... life simply got in the way. I consider my team in the UK to be a huge part of what we do, and they change so many dogs lives, that when they decide to stop it is hard. I fully understand and appreciate why some have to stop fostering, but that doesn't stop me going "oh fuck"

Fostering takes a special type of person, and finding good foster mums that fit in with our team and style is hard. You not only have unique dogs to find homes for, but you have to deal with me, which can be tough.

 

This is why when we have people that fit in, and put up with me, they are like unicorns,....... existing but very rare!

So, we have a gap at the moment, and I need to find other foster mums, which will mean that every idiot and their second cousin first removed will message. Hopefully in with the idiots I will find some great people, as the foster homes that have stopped fostering are fantastic at what they do, and those are big shoes to fill.

As always these guys know they can return at anytime, and I will welcome them back with open arms, stinky dogs, and my usual wit and sarcasm. For me it is not a goodbye, but a see you next year when life fucks off and allows you to foster again.

Only Me!

Why can one simple road trip to transport dogs not go simply and smoothly, only I can end up with  a loose kitten in the car on route to another island. So, we pull up to the ferry, on time, not stressed, not having to reserve on the back on the ferry as it is leaving, which is a miracle in itself. We park in the lane, and just as I say to fatty "go get me a coffee" we heard it....

There was a cat crying, REALLY crying, I sat there, and sat there, and then I had to go look. Sure enough coming from a parked car on the harbor wall, was the distinctive cry of "GET ME OUT OF HERE" A kitten had gone and got itself stuck in a car engine, oh joy! There was a crowd gathering, doing what the Spanish do... NOTHING!

They were debating, and pondering, and discussing, so fatty tried to get under the car, which obviously was not happening. This left it to me to crawl under the car for a look, and sure enough there it was a kitten by the wheel arch. At that point, the ferry pulled in, it was a now or never moment, as I couldn't miss the ferry, but I couldn't leave the kitten.

Thankfully fatty thinks like me, and she knew what I needed to do, we bent the inside panel of the wheel arch..... (sorry Mr car owner, but needs must) and I stuck my arm up inside the engine, and voile found the kitten. In typical kitten style, it moved, and wriggled, but once I had hold of its head, I wasn't letting go. (sorry kitten, but needs must)

Out came the kitten, and crawled inside my jumper, the Spanish were delighted, at THEIR rescue, and proudly, congratulated, each other. Whatever, I had a ferry to catch...... a man did ask what I was going to do with it now, Errr hello it was coming with us, what else was I supposed to do.

So, me fatty, some transport boxes, and some dogs, were on our way, and yes the kitten spent the day in the car, eating, drinking, and thinking " this is why my mummy told me not to wander off"

Its All In A Name

Naming animals has always been a challenge, and as the name pool gets smaller, the more stupid the names become. I have learnt over the years not to leave the naming to either the children, or the husband, as both think up the most stupid names. Small people always come up with the most bizarre logic behind the name choice, and I'm the one that has to shout the chosen name.

Fatty had many small animals as a child, as she was like the serial killer of hamsters, which we decided was due to her poor choice in names. We had everything including fluffy, Cecil, and Sooty, so her dad named the rabbit for her.... We all thought stew was incredibly funny, it took her a while to work out why this was so amusing.

Google is often used when needing names for animals, and if that doesn't work, I will often say "god I don't know" and the poor animal gets named easily, i.e Donkey is called Donkey we have dogs that are named after their breeds, and cats that are called cat. Igor is lovingly named arsehole most days, although he does also respond to WTF are you doing.

Thankfully when we named our children we thought about it longer, and made wise choices. Although fatty was going to be called Yasmine Summer until the gas and air wore off, and I realized WTF.

Knowing Your Limits!

Every day I stop and stare at my horses, I consider myself to be so blessed to have them, and fortunate that I can afford to give them the care and food they need. I know I am bias, however, my horses are stunning. They have come so far from the day each of them arrived, and this has been done with minimal vet care, a lot of love and a hell of a lot of food.

Horses are not cheap, even without any large vets bills, they cost a small fortune to feed correctly every month. This is why I know my limits, and at present I cannot afford anymore, sadly there are people out there that think if they "rescue" then it is quantity, not quality of life for the animal. The bad "rescue" took on to much, and at one point they had ten horses, all under fed, all kept in hell, but hey they were rescued!!

These guys took on too much, they could not feed the horses the quantity they required, and struggled to even feed them daily. What they did feed was thrown on the floor, for the horses to stand in, and have to pick through. Everything was wrong, so wrong, and slowly the horses died.

Thankfully Seprona have now stepped in, but these guys are still too stubborn and pig headed to accept the help, and are refusing for the animals to be helped.

So, the horses still stand in hell, every day I am sent more photos from Seprona, and everyday I feel more sad for these horses.

This isn't rescue, this is hoarding, and these guys need stopping, and prosecuting. There are so many good people that have offered to help, but these guys and their supporters say there is nothing wrong, and that we are making it all up.

They say a photo tells a thousand words..... I don't need a thousand words.... there are no words! Seprona have now announced that these guys were given the seven days to rehome, which they have refused, so the only alternative will be to destroy the animals. What a sad sad day that will be due to the stubbornness and stupidity of a human. 

When they Are Not Ready to be Caught

Some dogs will starve and starve before admitting that they need help, and the ones that run from you when you are trying to help, simply are not ready for help yet. Yesterday whilst driving home, fatty decided to shout "oh shit there is a really skinny German Shepherd there" this caused me to slam on the brakes, reserves back down a road, round a bend, and stop the car.

There stood a large, severely underweight dog staring at me, so, out I get, grab a lead, and a bag of treats and walk towards the dog. Silly me for thinking this was going to be easy, as I got within two steps of him, he ran off. For thirty minutes we followed, called, and waited, but he was having none of it. He would keep stopping, looking, and wondering, but he obviously felt, he didn't need our help yet.

We will go back and keep trying, as sooner or later, he will accept our help, and will decide that his stomach is in need of a good meal. Dogs always do reach that point, and I have seen it many times before.

 Merlin was one of these dogs, he ran and ran, until one day he simply laid down in my road, refusing to move. Exhaustion and hunger had won, and he wanted help. I picked him up and put him in the car, he knew he was safe, and from that day he knew he would be loved. 

Merlin went on to find an amazing home on the island, and is loved so much that he shows when they give in and ask for help, we can do just that. So, for the time being we will continue to chase the dog, until the day comes when he wants our help. I'm hoping it wont be that long, as he needs help asap. 

Adopting A Dog - Part One- The First Hour

Adopting a dog is stressful for everyone, for you, for me and for the dog, and some how new dog owners seem to forget their brains, and get over excited, and do not listen. Although some do months of research, Google everything and think they are ready, new dog owners brains  just go to mush when their dog arrives.

Two vital things you MUST remember are:

1. Google does not know everything, and although a million people before you have asked the same questions " how many times will my dog pee" "when should I feed my dog" "what to do if my dog does ... this... this or ... this" it will simply confuse the hell out of you.

2. There is no quick, read it on your phone app manual for adopting a dog,  Yes there was one for your new microwave, however, adopting dogs, nope sorry!

So, your rescue dog has just arrived, the one that you have been eagerly waiting for,  and suddenly you have no idea what to do. Hopefully you have been shopping, and bought the vital things you will need. I mean food, and a bowl, not the shiny diamante collar that he will hate you for.

We advise to give the dogs chicken and rice after they have traveled, trust me, have you ever got off the plane with a dodgy tummy, well the dogs are the same. So, chicken is essential, and no I do not mean KFC, real cooked, chicken. Treats are good to make friends with your new dogs, but if you feed them too many, that dodgy tummy will continue for days.

Toys are offer thrust at the poor dogs, who sit and stare at them with a look, of please take me back to the pound. These dogs have often never seen a toy, and again, long journey, new squeaky toy...not the best combination. I know the smell is bad, but please try and avoid throwing your new dog into a bath straight away or you may traumatize them even more.

Within the first hour your poor dog, would be called by 34 different names, as you cannot decide on the right one, have toys and treats thrust at them, posed for 100 photos to go on Instagram, peed and pooed everywhere as you were too busy taking selfies with the dog to notice. When what you actually need to do is....... pour a glass of wine, sit on the sofa, let your new dog explore, and adjust, and feel happy that you saved  a life. Everything else can wait for another day!

Pounds Are Not Rescues

People seem to think that pounds and rescue centers are the same thing, and oh boy are they wrong, yes they both have dogs, but that is where the similarities end. Pounds are government run and funded. These are paid for by your hand earned money to keep the dogs away from the public, there are in every country.

These places are very similar to holding cells for people, concrete cells, with basic facilities, often outside. Dogs will end up in them when they have dared to get near the human population, and are considered strays. The dogs are then tagged, numbered, and put up for adoption or killed, depending on temperament.

Again this happens in every country, so please dont think it does not happen in the UK. You can adopt from a pound at any time, just walk in, do some paperwork, and walk out, no assessments, no checks, no care. Rescues are nothing like pounds, we take in a huge number of different cases not just strays, and spend longer assessing and prepping dogs for adoption.

A good rescue will ensure that everything is done to the dog from vaccinations, to major surgery if needed. All of this is paid for by donations, which is why rescues spend most of their time begging, and borrowing. This is also why an adoption fee is often asked for, although it rarely covers what was actually spent.

A good rescue will also spend time asking a million questions, and you may think these are pointless, however, there is logic. These questions give an insight into your life, and what type of home you may be offering. Many people think that rescues should be grateful that they are adopting, and that they are saving the dog.

In fact the dog has already been saved, and is no longer unwanted, it is simply waiting for the right home. If you cannot be bothered to answer the questions, pay the fee, or do what the rescue asks to adopt one of their dogs, then you are better off going to a pound. Once you have picked your unwanted, terrified, un vaccinated matted, dirty furball and nurtured him back to health at a great expense, you may not think rescuers are asking too much.